Telescoping portable mast



p 1957 H. J. WOOLSLAYER ETAL 2,804,949

TELESCOPING PORTABLE MAST Filed March 16. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR-3 ER J. wooLSmVER,

7/167? Man/V 78 Sept. 3, 1957 H. J. WOOLSLAYER ETAL 2,

TELESCOPING PORTABLE MAST p 1957 H. J. WOOLSLAYER ET AL 2,804,949

TELESCOPING PORTABLE MAST Filed March 16, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .INVENTORS A R was United States Patent O 2,804,949 TELESCOPING roRTAnLIi.As'T Application March 16, 1954, Serial No. 416,566

13 Claims. (Cl. 189-11) This invention relates to portable oil welldrilling masts, and more particularly to a mast which can be swung froman upright position down to a reclining position for p transportation.

Such masts are well known. They are made ready for transportation toanother location either by separating them into independent sections orby telescoping them. Heretofore, the telescoping and extending of themasts have generally been accomplished in the erect position. The uppersection was narrower than the lower section so that the former couldslide into the latter. This made it necessary to have considerableoverlap of theadjoining legs in the extended position- To make itunnecessary for workmen to climb the erect mast and bolt or pin theextended sections tightly together, latches have been used whichoperated automatically when the upper section was raised. However,latches do not connect the sections together tightly enough, so guywires have been required in order to enable the. upright mast to resistwind loads. Furthermore, strain was placed on the legs of the mast dueto the eccentric loading caused by the upper legs being offset inwardlyrelative to the lower legs instead of being in line with them.

It is among the objects of this inventionto provide a telescopingportable mast which can be extended and telescoped while in recliningposition with its open face down, which has the lower ends of the legsof its upper section detachably fastened to the upper ends of the legsof its lower section, which utilizes rigid splices between thesections,and which does not require guy wires to steady it when it is in uprightoperative position.

In accordance with this invention the mast has an open front and anupper section mounted on a lower section. The mast is adapted to beswung from upright position forward to prone position along the ground.In prone position the lower section has a pair of parallel lower legsand a pair of upper legs, preferably extending forward beyond the lowerlegs. The upper section has legs in end to end relation with the legs ofthe lower section. Splicing means detachably connect the rear ends ofthe prone upper section legs to the front ends of the lower sectionlegs. Cooperating means connected to the adjacent ends of the pronesections support the upper section when the splicing means are removedand guide it down to a lower level as it is .moved rearwardly so that itcan telescope intothe lower section. The cooperating means includemeans. for supporting the upper section at said lower level as it istelescoped intothe lower section. Preferably, an overhung trolley rolleris suspended from the top of the prone lowersection between its oppositesides adjacent the upper leg-splicing means. A rail extends lengthwiseof thettop of the proneupper section from adjacent its front end toapoint normally spaced in front of the trolley roller. .This railisadapted to engage the top of the roller and bemovedbackward across itafter the upper section as. been moved down to the lower level.Furthermore,

there aremeans for preventing the upper section from,

tilting more than a predetermineddistance while it is moving backward.

The preferred embodiment-of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a miniature view of the frontof the upright mast;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the mast after it has been lowered toreclining position, with the traveling block and drilling line omittedand with parts broken out;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to the preceding figure, but showing the uppersection of the mast telescoped into the lower section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the reclining ex+ tended mast;

Fig. ,5. is an enlarged side view of the reclining mast at theconnection between'its upper and lower sections;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the preceding figure, but showing the uppersection starting to move back into the lower section;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mast as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig, 8 is a planview of the mast as shown in Fig. .6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line X-X of Fig.6.

Referring to the drawings, the front of our mast is shown in outline inFig. I, mounted in upright operative position on a suitable support 1.This mast is formed in two sections that aredetachably connectedtogether; an upper one 2 that generally is tapered upwardly to someextent and a lower one 3 whose front legs are substantial-. 1y parallelfrom theiruPPer ends most or all of the way down. The sides and back ofthe mast are braced, but the front is open so that drill pipe can beswung in and out of it in the usual way. The lower end of the mast ishinged to the support so that the mast can be swung forward and downinto a substantially horizontal prone position, as shown in Fig. 2, in awell-known manner. The front legs of the upright mast become the lowerlegs of the prone mast, and the back legs of the upright mast become theupper'legs of the prone mast. It will be observed that inthe illustratedembodiment of the invention the two sections of the mast overlap alongan inclined plane. To accomplish this the upper legs 4 of the lowersection 3 preferably extend forward several feet beyond its lower legs5, to which they are connected by inclined braces 6, and the lower legs7 of the upper section 2 extend backward beyond its upper legs 8, towhich they are connected by inclined braces 9.

To connect the two mast sections together, the frontends of the lowerlegs 5 of the lower section are provided with tongues 10 that extendinto forks 11 at the rear ends of the lower legs 7 of the upper section.These tongues and forks are provided with aligned holes, into whichsplice pins 12 are driven, as shown in Fig. 5. Also, the rear ends ofthe upper legs 8 areprovided with tongues 13 that project into forks 14on the front ends of the upper legs 4, and these tongues and forks arerigidly connected by splice pins 15 driven through them. The pinnedcon-. nections are so positioned between the adjoining legs that thelegs of the upper section are in end to end relation with those of thelower section; that is the legs of the upper section donot overlap thelower section legs but form continuations of them. The neutral axis ofeach.

upper section leg forms acontinuation of the neutral axis of theadjoining leg of the lower section, thereby avoiding eccentric loadingof the legs. The connected ends of the two sections therefore are thesame width, but the rest of the tapered upper section is narrower thanthe lower section. The lower legs of each reclining section of the mastpreferably are formed from angle bars having lower;

flanges projecting outward away from their vertical flanges. The upperlegs may take any suitable form, those shown being angle bars which maytoe in if they converge toward the top of'the mast. 1 T' Before thereclining upper section can-be telescoped into the lower sectiontoshorten the mastrfortransportation, it is necessary that the rear endof the upper section be lowered far enough for the rear ends of its legsto clear the front ends of the legs of the lower section; i..e. tolowerforks 11 and'tongues 13 below tongues'10 and .forks 14,respectively. The lowering is controlled and limited by cooperatingmeans in the form of tracks and track-engaging members at the splicedends of the mast sections. The tracks, which are used when the legs ofthe upper section are not parallel, have horizontal lengths with endportions inclined downward and backward, so that after the prone uppersection 2 is disconnected from the lower section, downward movement ofthe upper section will be controlled by the movement of the inclinedtracks and track-engaging members against each other and will be limitedby engagement of the horizontal parts of the tracks with those members.It is preferred that the track-engaging members be rollers and besupported by the lower section in which case the tracks are supported bythe upper section so that they will run down and across the rollers.

Accordingly, short parallel tracks have substantially horizontalportions 17 extending lengthwise of opposite sides of the mast along theoutside of the rear end portions of upper legs 8 of the upper section.Each of these horizontal tracks is formed from an angle bar having avertical flange and an outwardly projecting upper flange. The rear ends18 of the tracks are set into inclined braces 9 and are inclineddownward and backward and termi- Data at their lower ends in abutments19. When the mast is in extended position with splice pins 12 and 15 inplace, the lower surfaces of the rear ends of the tracks engage verticalrollers 21 that also are engaged by the abutments. Each of these rollersis journaled at its outer end in a plate 22 extending downward from theoutside of the fork 14 above it. The rollers preferably are directlybelow splice pins 15. With this arrangement, when splice pins 12 and 15are removed the upper section can be moved downward and backwardsimultaneously until the horizontal tracks 17 reach the rollers andprevent further lowering of the upper section.

To prevent the reclining upper section from pivoting on the rollers 21when the splice pins are removed and dropping its front or outer end tothe ground, the rear ends of lower legs 7 of the upper section carryvertical rollers 23 that are thrust up against the lower surfaces of apair of inclined tracks 24 extending forward and upward from tongues 10to inclined braces 6. When the upper inclined tracks 18 move downrollers 21, the lower rollers 23 roll down the bottoms of lower tracks24. Continued backward movement of the upper section'caus'es rollers 23to roll along the bottom of parallel lower legs of the lower sectionWhile the parallel upper tracks 17, beside the converging upper legs,move backward across upper rollers 21 until the rear ends of thosetracks run off the rollers. Before this last thing happens, the uppersection becomes supported in another manner by the front end of thelower section, as now will be described.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 9, the cross brace 26 between the front ends ofthe upper legs of the lower section supports directly below it abifurcated bracket 27, in the opposite sides of which a pair oflaterally spaced trolley rollers 28 arejournaled in overhangingposition. The bracket preferablyislocated midway between the oppositesides of the mast. A few feet in front of the'trolley rollers there is acenter roll 29 that extends from a point a short distance behind thefront ends of parallel tracks 17 forward to the front endof the mast, asshown in Fig. 4. This rail preferably isan I-beam, and its upper flangesare located in the same plane as theupper flanges of tracks 17. The railmust be so positioned that after upper section 2 has been disconnectedfrom lower section 3 and has descended to its lower level and then movedstraight back a short distance, the upper flanges of the rail can engageand ride over the tops of the trolley rollers while its web passesbetween them. Consequently, there must be no cross braces in the uppersection which will interfere with the rail traveling back across thetrolley rollers. The cross braces 30 of the upper section therefore arelocated below its upper legs so that the rail extends above the bracesand allows them to pass beneath the trolley rollers. As shown in Figs. 8and 9, the rail will engage the trolley rollers before upper rollers 21leave the front ends of parallel tracks 17, and from then on the uppersection of the mast is supported by the rail and trolley rollers. Sincethis support is along the center line of the upper section, the taper ofthe upper section, which makes parallel tracks 17 necessary, does notaffect the situation.

It will be seen that after the upper section has moved back into thelower section to a point where the formers center of gravity passesbehind the trolley rollers, the rear end of the upper section will tendto swing down away from the lower section. To prevent this, a pair ofplates 32, which are in line with the vertical flanges of lower legs 5,extend upward from the front ends of those legs. The plates are providedwith inclined upper edges that form ramps extending forward and upwardfrom the legs. Fitting on the ramps are grooved. wheels 33 that arejournaled at their inner ends in the upper ends of triangular plates 34which extend upward and backward between legs 5 from the rear ends ofthe lower legs of the upper section. As the upper section starts to movedown and back in the lower section, the grooved wheels run down theramps and then start back along the tops of the lower legs 5, but as theweight of the upper section presses bottom rollers 23 tightly againstthe bottom of those legs, thewheels barely touch the tops of the legs 5.However, as soon as the rear end of the upper section tends to tiltdown, due to a shift in the center of gravity, such movement will berestrained by the wheels which then will engage and roll along the topsof the legs 5 to support the upper sections rear end, as shown in Figs.3,

6 and 10.

The preferred way of retracting the upper section of the reclining mastinto the lower section is to hook the traveling block 36 (Fig. l) to anyconvenient fixed support near the foot of the mast, and then operate thedrawworks (not shown) to reel in the line 37 connected with thestationary traveling block. This will cause the line to pull the uppersection of the mast backward toward the traveling block therebytelescoping the mast.

By making the inclination of tracks 24 and ramps 32 steeper than tracks18, the prone upper section is caused to rotate about its center ofgravity when it starts to move downward and backward. Consequently,little effort is required to start retraction of the upper section intothe lower section. The same thing is true when the mast is extendedagain, because the weight of the overhanging upper section will tend toswing its rear end up into final position, ready to receive the splicepins.

The mast can be extended, while reclining along the ground, by merelyhitching a line to the outer end of its upper, section and pulling itout of the lower section. A more satisfactory way is to fasten lines 40to a pair of brackets 41 mounted on inclined braces 9, and lead thelines forward between the telescoped upper and lower sections and up[around vertical sheaves 42 journaled in the front end of the lowersection. The two lines then extend back around horizontal sheaves 43journaled in the top' of the lower section, and then laterally. -One ofthe lines extends across the mast and back around an upper sheave 44supported outside of the mast, while the other line extends outward, ashort distance and then back around a sheave 45 (Fig. 9) directly belowsheave 44. Behind these last two sheavesthe two linescan be attached toa single rope that can be looped around the customary drawworks catheadfor pulling the, lines. When they are pulled, the upper section willbepulled forward out of the lower section.

It will be seen that this mast can be extended while reclining, so thatgood tight connections can be made between the two sections by workmenworking close to the ground. They do not have to climb an upright mastto connect or diseonnectthe sections, and the use of automaticallyoperating latches is avoided. Consequently; the mast is rigid enough tomake guy wires unnecessary. The end to end relation of the connectedlegs also adds to the strength and rigidity of the mast and savesmaterial that would be required if the legs overlapped.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explainedthe principle of our invention and have illustrated and described whatwe now consider to rep resent its best embodiment. However, we desire tohave it understood that, within thescope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specificially illustratedand described.

We claim:

1. An open front portable telescoping mast having a lower section and anupper section and adapted to be swung from upright position forward toprone position, said lower section in its prone position having a pairof parallel lower legs and a pair of upper legs, said upper sectionhaving legs in end to end relation with the legs of the lower section,splicing means detachably connecting the rear ends of the prone uppersection legs to the front ends of the lower section legs, upper verticalrollers disposed below the front ends of the upper legs of said lowersection and supported thereby, and parallel tracks extending lengthwiseof the, mast along opposite sides of the rear top portion of said uppersection above the level of said rollers and having rear end portionsinclined down and backward across the tops of said rollers substantiallyin engagement therewith for supporting the upper section when saidsplicing means are removed and for guiding it down to a lower level asit is moved rearwardly so that the legs will be moved out of said end toend relation to enable the upper section to be telescoped into the lowersection.

2. A mast in accordance with claim 1, including sheaves carried byopposite sides of the front end of the prone lower section, and a lineattached to the prone upper section behind said sheaves and extendingforward around them and then rearwardly, whereby when the rear end ofthe line is pulled the upper section of the telescoped mast will bepulled forward in the lower section to extend the mast.

3. A mast in accordance with claim 1, in which the upper legs of one ofsaid sections extend lengthwise be yond the lower leg-splicing means sothat the adjoining ends of said sections normally overlap each otheralong an inclined plane.

4. An open front portable telescoping mast having a lower section and anupwardly tapered upper section and adapted to be swung from uprightposition forward to prone position, said lower section in its proneposition having a pair of parallel lower legs and a pair of upper legs,said upper section having legs in end to end relation with the legs ofthe lower section, splicing means detachably connecting the rear ends ofthe prone upper 7 as it is moved rearwardly so that the legswill bemoved "out of said end to end relation to enable the upper section ofthat roller and be moved backward across it after the upper section hasbeen moved down to said lower level.-

5. A mast in accordance with claim 4, in which upper cross braces vinthe prone upper section are located at a lower level than its upper legsand support the top of saidrail at substantially the same level as thetop of said last-mentioned legs.

6. An open front portable telescoping mast having t3, lower section andan upwardly tapered upper section and adapted to be swung from uprightposition forward to prone position, said lower section in its proneposition havinga pair of parallel lower legs and apair of upper legs,said upper section having legs in end to end relation with the legs ofthe lower section, splicing means detachably connecting the rear ends ofthe prone upper section legs to the front ends of the lower sectionlegs, upper vertical rollers disposed below the front ends of the upperlegs of said lower sections and supported thereby, short parallel'tnacks extending lengthwise of the mast along-opposite sides of therear top portion of said upper section above the level of said rollersand having rear end portions inclined down and backward across the topsof said rollers substantially in engagement therewith for supporting theupper section when said. splicing means are removed and for guiding itdown to a lower level as it; is movedrearwardly so that the legs will bemoved out ofsaid end to end-relation to enable the upper section totelescope into the lower section, a pair of laterally spaced trolleyrollers below. the top of the prone lower section, means secured to thelower section rnidwaybetween its opposite. sides adjacent the upperleg-splicing means and supportingsaid rollers on an axis. extendingtnansversely ofl't he mast, and a center rail rigidly secured to theupper section and extending lengthwise of the top of the prone uppersection from adjacent its front end to Y a point normally spaced'i-nfront of said trolley rollers, the rail having flanges projectinglaterally from the upper edge of a vertical web, and the web beingadapted to pass between said trolley rollers while said flanges engagethe top of .the rollers and move backward on them after the uppersectionhas been moved down to said lower leveL,

7. An open front portable telescoping mast having a lower, section andan upwardly tapered upper section and adapted to be swung from uprightposition forward and dpwn to prone position, said lower section in itsprone position having a pair of parallel lower legs and a pair of. upperlegspsa idv upper section having legs in end to endrelatipn with thelegs of the lower section, splicing means detachably connecting the rearends of the prone upper section legs to the front ends of the lowersection legs, upper vertical rollers disposed below the front ends ofthe upper legs of said lower section, means secured to the outside ofthe lower section supporting the rollers, short parallel tracksextending lengthwise of the mast along opposite sides of the rear topportion of said upper section above the level of said rollers and havingrear end portions inclined down and backward across the tops of saidrollers substantially in engagement therewith, an overhung verticaltrolley roller suspended from the top of the prone lower section betweenits opposite sides adjacent the upper leg-splicing means, and a railrigidly secured to the upper section and extending lengthwise of the topof the prone upper section from adjacent its front end to a point spacedin front of the trolley roller and adapted to engage the top of thatroller and be moved backward across it after said prone sections aredisconnected at said splicing means and the upper section is movedbackward on said upper rollers to lower the upper section legs below thecorresponding lower section legs so that the mast can be telescoped,said rail becoming supported by the trolley roller before said paralleltracks run ofi the upper rollers.

8. A mast as defined in claim 7, including lower vertical rollerscarried by the opposite sides of said upper section adjacent the lowerleg-splicing means, and inclined tracks extending upward from the frontends of said lower section and having lower surfaces substantially inengagement with the lower rollers.

9. A mast as defined in claim 7, including ramps extending forward andupward from the front portions of the lower legs of said lower sections,wheels substantially engaging said ramps, and means secured to saidupper section supporting the wheels.

10. An open front portable mast having a lower section and an upwardlytapered upper section and adapted to be swung from upright positionforward and down to prone position, said lower section in its proneposition having a pair of parallel lower legs and a pair of upper legs,said upper section having legs in end to end relation with the legs ofthe lower section, splicing means detachably connecting the rear ends ofthe prone upper section legs to the front ends of the lower sectionlegs, upper vertical rollers disposed below the front ends of the upperlegs of said lower section, means secured to the outside of the lowersection supporting the rollers, short parallel tracks extendinglengthwise of the mast along opposite sides of the rear top portion ofsaid upper section above the level of said rollers and having rear endportions inclined down and backward across the tops of said rollerssubstantially in engagement therewith, lower vertical rollers carried bythe opposite sides of said upper section adjacent the lower leg-splicingmeans, inclined tracks extending upward from the front ends of the lowerlegs of said lower section behind the lower rollers substantially inengagement therewith, ramps extending forward and upward from the frontportions of the lower legs of said lower section, wheels substantiallyengaging said ramps, means secured to said upper section supporting thewheels, an overhung vertical trolley roller suspended from the top ofthe prone lower section between its opposite sides adjacent the upperleg-splicing means, and a rail rigidly secured to the upper section andextending lengthwise of the'top of the prone upper section from adjacentits front end to a point spaced from the trolley roller and adapted toengage the top of that roller and be moved backward across it after saidprone sections are disconnected at said splicing means and the uppersection is moved backward on said upper rollers to lower the uppersection legs below the corresponding lower section legs so that the mastcan be telescoped, said rail becoming supported by the trolley rollerbefore said parallel tracks run off the upper rollers, and said wheelsultimately running along the legs beneath them to support the rear endof the upper section.

11. A mast as defined in claim 10, in which said ramps and lowerinclined tracks are inclined more steeply than 'said inclined portionsof said parallel tracks.

12. An open front portable telescoping mast having a lower section andan upwardly tapered upper section and adapted to be swung from uprightposition forward and down to prone-position, said lower section in itsprone position having a pair of parallel lower legs and a pair of upperlegs, said upper section having legs in end to end relation with thelegs of the lower section, splicing means detachably connecting the rearends of the prone upper section legs to the front ends of the lowersection legs, upper vertical rollers disposed below the front ends ofthe upper legs of said lower section, means secured to the lower sectionsupporting the rollers, tracks secured to the upper section above thelevel of said rollers and inclined down and back across the tops of saidrollers substantially in engagement therewith to support the uppersection when said splicing means are removed, said rollers and tracksbeing positioned to guide the upper section down to a lower level as itis moved rearwardly so that the legs will be moved out of said end toend relation to enable the upper section to be telescoped into the lowersection, and tracks and track-engaging members on said sections forsupporting the upper section at said lower level as it is telescopedinto the lower section.

13. An open front portable telescoping oil well mast having a lowersection and an upwardly tapered upper section adapted to be swung fromupright position forward and down to reclining position, said lowersection in its reclining position having a pair of upper legs and a pairof substantially parallel lower legs, said upper section having legs inend to end relation with the legs of the lower section, splicing meansdetachably connecting the upper section legs to the lower section legs,the reclining upper section being movable toward the lower section afterthe reclining sections are disconnected at said splicing means, andmeans secured to both sections for guiding the reclining upper sectiondownwardly toward the open front of the reclining lower section as theupper section is first moved toward the lower section, whereby to movethe legs of the two sections out of end to endsrelation to permit theupper section to telescope into the lower section, the reclining mastbeing provided with vertically spaced track surfaces extendinglengthwise thereof and with anti-friction members above and below saidsurfaces and engageable with them as the mast is telescoped, whereby tohold the reclining upper section in general alignment with the reclininglower section so that the upper section can be supported solely by thelower section during telescoping.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,577,642 Woolslayer et a1. Dec. 4, 1951

